With the coronavirus stats going in the right direction, all of us at C&G Newspapers look forward to resuming publication of the St. Clair Shores Sentinel and Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle on May 27th. All other C&G newspapers will begin publishing on June 10th (Advertiser-Times on June 24th). In the meantime, continue to find local news on our website and look for us on Facebook and Twitter.

Attention Readers: Find Us in Your Mailbox Soon

With the coronavirus stats going in the right direction, all of us at C&G Newspapers look forward to resuming publication of the St. Clair Shores Sentinel and Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle on May 27th. All other C&G newspapers will begin publishing on June 10th (Advertiser-Times on June 24th). In the meantime, continue to find local news on our website and look for us on Facebook and Twitter.

Terry Oparka

C&G Staff Reporter – Troy Times

Staff Writer Terry Oparka covers Troy and the Troy School District for the Troy Times. Oparka has worked for C & G Newspapers since 2000 and attended Oakland University and Macomb Community College. Oparka has won an award from the Michigan Press Association and four awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Detroit Chapter.

The city’s share of federal block grants has shrunk again, but that won’t affect the Home Chore program — for now.

The Troy City Council unanimously approved the application for Community Development Block Grant funds at its Oct. 3 meeting.

Based on an estimated $143,525, the council slated $21,528 for the Home Chore program and $121,997 for flood drain improvements in Section 36, in the Maple and John R area, which meet federal income guidelines for the CDBG program.

A cigarette on a condominium balcony on Alameda Drive sparked a blaze just before 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15.

Fire officials said that Troy Fire Lt. Don Douglas from Station 2 saw black smoke as he drove in the area of Rochester Road and South Boulevard and reported it to 911. Douglas determined there was a structure fire on Alameda Drive, and reported it to fire officials, according to reports.

Others also reported to 911 operators that there was a fire on Alameda, in attached condominiums.

The Troy city attorney successfully pleaded her case before the Troy City Council that the in-house legal services she and the staff provides are more economical than outsourcing them would be.

Troy City Attorney Lori Grigg Bluhm presented the results of an efficiency analysis provided by the International City Managers Association/International Municipal Lawyers Association during a study session following the Oct. 3 meeting. ICMA requested assistance from IMLA, a nonprofit professional organization with 2,500 member communities, for the report.

A Troy woman awaiting trial on charges of breaking into a home and violating her parole hung herself in the Oakland County Jail.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies discovered Salwa Salim Mansour, 41, had attempted suicide by hanging, and found her unresponsive and unconscious in the jail at 5:15 p.m. Oct. 6.

The Troy City Council has taken the first step to ensure that Troy residents will only have to wait 24 hours to get streets plowed to the pavement this winter.

The council unanimously reinstated the 24-hour snow removal protocol following the stoppage of snowfall of more than 4 inches. The council had amended the policy last year to allow for 72 hours to cut costs.

The number of thefts reported in the city of Troy dropped 15 percent from 2009 to 2010, based on the most recent crime statistics released by the FBI, while the numbers of vehicle thefts and burglaries increased by 28 percent and 26 percent, respectively.

However, the number of these crimes is comparatively low, and numbers in most categories have stayed relatively flat.

The Troy Public Library will stay closed on Saturdays after the Troy City Council approved a budget to run the facility for $2.9 million for three years.

The cost to service and maintain the library’s computers, $3,300 per year per computer, raised questions on the council, which approved the budget 6-1 Sept. 26. Councilman Martin Howrylak opposed the approval and suggested postponing the vote for two weeks, which failed in a 5-2 vote. Councilman Wade Fleming also supported the postponement.

Brothers Mike and Steve Kopera, raised in Troy, didn’t set out to make a film for children.

Mike, an actor who lives in Los Angeles, decided to write screenplays and produce films as vehicles for his acting career between auditions and working at his restaurant job. He wanted to tell the story of a world where everyone carries monkey puppets that interact with people. The screenplay was inspired by his own monkey puppet, which he took to college wrapped around the base of a lamp and then out to Los Angeles on the same lamp.

In an effort to be proactive with brick and mortar resources, the Troy School District is asking for members of the community to evaluate each building being used in the district to maximize financial efficiency and maintain educational standards.

Although the number of students in the Troy School District has increased by about 300 this year, the population in Oakland County over the next 10 years is projected to decrease.

The Troy School District and Troy police took steps to lessen the impact of traffic on Boyd Street after a handful of residents objected to a new bus route this fall.

Rodger Walters, a longtime resident on Boyd Street, north of Big Beaver and east of Rochester Road, said he and other residents objected to blocked driveways, a damaged mailbox, buses driving over turf to negotiate a tight turn, speeding and increased traffic.

Upcoming Events

The events in our calendar were submitted prior to the coronavirus crisis.
As efforts have increased to contain the spread of the coronavirus, many events have been canceled.
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On March 13, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order to cancel all events statewide that involve more than 250 people. It is recommended that you call ahead if you still intend to attend one of these events.